


You Changed the Melody

by bunforpresident



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Angst, Canon Era, Character Death, Crying, Duelling, Emotional Hurt, Gen, Gunshot Wounds, Heavy Angst, Hurt, Hurt No Comfort, Near Death Experiences, Plot Twists, Unhappy Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-22
Updated: 2018-02-22
Packaged: 2019-03-22 14:49:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13766436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bunforpresident/pseuds/bunforpresident
Summary: "You're Elizabeth Hamilton?" A younger woman asks. Eliza takes a deep breath, looking down at her wedding ring. She clenches her jaw before looking back to the woman and nodding with a forced smile."What are you doing here? Isn't your son dueling in Weehawken?" She seemed curious, her red lips in a gentle pout.Eliza furrows her eyebrows, titling her head a bit. "Excuse me?""Philip Hamilton. Yeah? He has the whole street talking. Have you not heard?"Eliza feels anxiety start to lace into her bloodstream.





	You Changed the Melody

**Author's Note:**

> warning,,,, death of the best character

       Eliza walked down the town's path. She hears people chatter away as she shuffles up to a small street store. She picks out a few apples and other fruits, along with lettuce and beans. She pays for the food with money from her small purse, holding the foods in a basket. She was quiet, barely smiling through the transaction. As she was turning to leave, someone stopped her.  
        "You're Elizabeth Hamilton?" A younger woman asks. Eliza takes a deep breath, looking down at her wedding ring. She clenches her jaw before looking back to the woman and nodding with a forced smile.  
        "What are you doing here? Isn't your son dueling in Weehawken?" She seemed curious, her red lips in a gentle pout.  
        Eliza furrows her eyebrows, titling her head a bit. "Excuse me?"   
        "Philip Hamilton. Yeah? He has the whole street talking. Have you not heard?"   
        Eliza feels anxiety start to lace into her bloodstream.   
        "Where- Where is this happening?" She asked.  
        "Like I said, Weehawken. 'Cross the Hudson." The woman shrugs. Eliza shoves the basket of fruit into the woman's arms before turning and bolting the other way.  
        She picked up the skirt of her dress so she could run, huffing as she sprints towards her home. She was there sooner than later, fumbling around the back of the house before hopping onto a horse. Alexander never really kept his horses for long, so Eliza had no clue if this one even had a name. She bucks the horse, it speeding off with her on it's back.  
        Eliza rode towards the Hudson quickly, it taking barely five minutes. She hopped off the horse, running up to a man who was sitting in a row boat.  
        "You have to get me to Weehawken-" Eliza exclaims, climbing into the boat. The man was taken aback by this, looking at her as if she was crazy.  
        "Ma'am you have to pay-"  
        Eliza lets out a deep breath, unhooking the clasp on her small purse. She held out fifteen dollars to the man, who took it happily and began rowing very quickly.  
        Eliza bounces her leg the whole ride, her heart thumping out of her chest. What if she was already too late?   
        It only took seven minutes to cross the Hudson. Eliza practically jumps from the boat, climbing onto the land. The bottom of her dress was wet and muddy, but she couldn't care less. She heard people talking just over a hill, and began to bolt in that direction. At the top of the hill, she could see dozens of people gathered around.  
        She could see Philip, back to back with a man she didn't recognize.  
        Then people began to count.   
        "One-" each man took a step forward, Eliza screaming at the top of her lungs as she tried running down the hill.  
        "Two, three-" she gets to the bottom, pushing through hoards of people.  
        "Four, five-" Eliza got to the opening, seeing the other man beginning to turn around. Before her brain could catch up with her body, she was running, running as fast as she could.   
        "Six-" She lets out a guilty grunt as she pushes Philip over, watching him tumble to the ground.   
        "Seven-" George Eacker had turned fully now, both hands on his pistol. He had it pointed to where Philip was supposed to be, pulling the trigger. Only then did he notice a woman being there instead, Philip on the ground.  
        Philip screams, trying to pull his mother to the ground with him.  
        Eliza felt nothing at first, just realization. Realization that she saved her son from being shot. But then it hits her, the searing pain in her stomach. She lets out a wail, dropping to her knees and putting her hands over the wound.  
        The doctor was sprinting over, opening his first aid kit.  
        Eliza screws her eyes shut, hunching over herself. She feels someone picking her up, maybe two people. Something is pressed against her wound, and she sobs. Tears roll down her cheeks. She could barely breathe. Faintly she could hear Philip's voice, and she reaches out for him. Hopefully the hand she grabs and squeezes was his.  
        Then Eliza soon felt the rocking of a boat. She hears people shouting, a doctor telling her it will be okay, and water splashing. She blacks out for what felt like a second, but it was enough to now be lifted into a wagon. Philip gave the driver an address, and at first Eliza can't make out who's it was. But when they arrive there minutes later, she sees that it's her sister's home. She was picked up again, and carried inside. Her ears rang, and she opened her eyes to see Angelica crying, hugging Philip. She smiled a little, then closed her eyes and grunted.  
        "Send for Alexander.." she requested. The doctor nods to someone by his side, who bolts out the door to find Hamilton.  
        Eliza was laid in a comfortable bed, cotton wrapped around her wound. Philip laid by her side, curled up. An hour passed, and everyone else was in a room over.  
        "I'm so sorry, Ma.." Philip choked.  
        "Shhh, Philip," Eliza kisses his head. She couldn't move much, or a pain would shoot through her body. "This isn't your fault." She assured her son.  
        Another hour and Eliza heard a loud crash. She opens her eyes, seeing the door fly open to reveal her husband.  
        "Eliza.." he puts a hand over his mouth, his eyes watering. "Eliza, my god." He moved to the side of the bed, kneeling down and grabbing her hand. He kissed it, sniffling  against her wrist.  
        "Philip, can you go check on Aunt Angelica for me?" Eliza asks quietly. Philip nods, slowly slipping out of bed and leaving the room.  
        There was an eternity of silence before Eliza clears her throat.  
        "It's infected."   
        "What?"  
        "The wound. It was infected when I arrived."   
        "Eliza, my dear, dear Eliza," Alexander takes a deep, shaky breath.   
        "Alexander.."  
        "I've done so much wrong to you. You don't deserve this. God, Eliza if I could spare you this pain-"  
        "Alexander."   
        Alex goes quiet, albeit letting out a quiet sob.  
        "Although I heard you knew about the duel, and although you released to the world a pamphlet of your affair, and although many could chalk this down to being your fault... I'm afraid I cannot hold a grudge against you before my last breath. I forgive you, Alexander." Eliza looks down, holding a hand over the cotton on her wound.  
        "Don't talk like that! You're not going to die!" Alexander squeezes her hand.  
        A creak can be heard from the door, and Alex jumps slightly, looking over to the door when Philip opens it again.  
        "Aunt Angelica said she's going to prepare you some tea.." he murmurs.   
        Eliza smiled, "Philip, come here." She waves him over. He sits in the edge of the bed.  
        She grabs his hand, looking up to him.  
        "Un deux trois quatre cinq six sept huit neuf," She sings gently, Philip following after her.   
        "Good." Eliza grins, her eyes half lidded. "Un deux trois quatre.. cinq.. six..."  
        Philip smiled, singing softly with his mother. Then he waits a beat for her to continue.  
        Alexander looks to Eliza, worry taking over his features.  
        "Sept huit neuf.." Philip tries. No response.  
        "Sept huit..." Tears well in his eyes, as he feels his mother's hand drop from his. She wasn't breathing, not blinking or moving.  
        Alexander lays his head on the bed, squeezing Eliza's hand so tight that she would have chastised him for it.  
        Philip lets out a scream, moving to shake his mother. He tries and tries again, tears falling from his face as he lays his head on his mother's shoulder, sobbing.  
        His hands were clutched against her dress, he was trembling, letting out a new cry every now and again. People gathered in the room, and at one point tried to move Alexander and Philip, but neither would budge.  
        After what might've been hours, Philip loosened his grip.  
        "I'm so sorry.." he whispered into his mother's shoulder. He pulls away, moving to kiss her forehead. He slides off the bed, rubbing his face. He gently shakes his father, who sniffed and sat up a little. Alexander wipes his eyes, standing up. He leans over, presses a kiss to his wife's lips, the leaves the room with Philip at his side.


End file.
